Densifier



N. L. DAVBS mm 5 w50 DENSIFIER Filed April 17, 1948 Si S DENsIFiER.Nelson L. Davis, Chicago, Ill. L Applianon April 17,v 1948,' serliai N.21,7275 r "My invention relates tov improvements in den-y siers forvheavy media for reclaiming and cleaning circuits.

It hasl for one object to provide a new and im`v proved form of densiervwhich isespecially well adapted to the recovery of nelydivided materialfrom water `or other liquid carriers.

"In lconnection with float and sink separation,

liquid is'use'd of a specific' gravity suited to causing. the properseparation between't'he one ma@ terial vwhich floats onthe 'surface andthe other material which is allowed to sink. In some instances,liquid ofthe proper specicgravty c'onsists'o semi-saturatedsaltbrine orchlorinated hydrocarbons. lIn other instances; the liquidv usedrcontains small sized particles,v in non-colloidal suspension and inthese cases'the density of particles'carried in suspension determinesthe effective' specific gravity ofthe liquid formaking` oat and sinkkseparation. u 'lhelnature yof the solids carried in suspensioncan beclassified into` twovgroups, namely, magnetic and non-magnetic. Myinvention has` reference toy liquid media carrying solidsy inlsuspension, and is especially well adapted to treating magnetic solids,though` non-magnetic solids may equally well be treated. Magnetic`solids ordinarily-used are ferrosilicon, magnetite, blast furnace uedust or rolling mill scale. Of these, magnetiteiFeaO-i) is most commonlyused and it-is the product of line grinding ina -ball mill. :fWhenground to kminus-325-mesh size, it has a settling velocity of'approximately 20 feetV perhoiiriny clear water. -When magnetized, thissame material settles in clear water at the rate of approximately 210feet per hour.

The purpose of the apparatus disclosed herein is to receive water andmagnetite recovered by magnetic separation and to so separate themagnetite from the water which carries it in suspensionl that Vtworesults will be obtainedz' (1 clear water will be recovered inwhichthere will be little or nmagnetite carriedinfsuspension; (2)settled magnetite sludge will be recovered rcontaining a minimum ofwater.' In other words, thesludge which comprises settled solids andsome-water will be of a density greater than 1 .6 specic gravity. Sincethe speciiic gravity of` magnetite is 4.9, one of the objects of myinvention is to recover a sludge which will approach 4.9 specic gravitybut certainly greater than 1.6 specie gravity.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawing, wherein a simple form of densier is shown.

-Like parts are yindicated by like characters lin the drawing 4 I isafcylindrical tank having a conical bottom 2; `ears3 extending-radiallyfrom. the tank `adja cent thejunctur'e* of the cylinder and the cone.,

Theseearsare supported on telescoping sleeves 4 :which-enclose' springsl5 resting on partsv B on any suitableisupportindicated diagrammaticallyI asf'channels-l.--"Around the outer periphery of the cylindricalportion ofthe tank I and extendinglupwardly above the wall of the tank Iisan annular channel 8 which-defines an annular dis. charge reservoircommunicating with the tank over thev top edge of the tank which servesas aA `dischargewei'r 9.-l The discharge tank I0 from the weir may'-4discharge in any suitablevmanner from the discharge duct I I.

-Resting on the-annular ring 8-is any suitable cover ortop I2L- It maybe open or closed as the *case may be.A Extending downwardly from thiscover A"into the tank is a down-spout I3 open at itslo'wer endtoA theinterior of the tank-and supplied with-material' to be-treated throughthe iny fluentfpipe I4 with the liquid which contains the :solids to besettled out. Extending downwardly from the apexof the conical bottom 2is a discharge sleeve I5. Mounted for reciprocation--in this dischargesleeve or .spout isA a piston valve I6 ported at I'I. I8 is a iconevalve ln-o'pposition tothe discharge end of the spout I5 and `tied tothe piston valve I6 by a connecting rodIQ. The piston valve is hollowand closed at the-top as indicated at 2i), open at the bottom; `2I A'isa valve stem which extends upwardly through the down-spout I3 to andthrough the air cylinder 22 which is carried by the covered. top I2. 23is a piston mounted for reciprocation in the cylinder 22, rigidlyattached to Athe piston rod 2-I; This rod extends clear 'UIthro'ugh' thecylinder y2li, being provided with the usual packingl 24,'25. o

\ Whenthe piston valve I6 and the conical valve v I8 areinthepositionshown in the drawing, solids vwhich may settlel inthe bottomofthe tank are) r"free to passl inwardly Vthrough the port I'I andthepi'ston valveIG to fill the down-spout I5 being limited; asis" theliquid in the tank, in its downward travel by the valve I8. lIf however,the pistonfvalve I Gi'is moved downwardly and the valve I8"tra`vl'swith' it, "the ports I1 will be closed.i

